Regulus Black The Boy who Regrets
by CelticDragonLadyWarrior
Summary: Regulus Black begins his life at Hogwarts. After living so long under the protection of his brother Sirius, he decides to do what he must to protect Sirius and allow him to escape the dreaded family home.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Regulus Black had just arrived at Hogwarts. His family had warned him against letting the hat sort him into any house aside from Slytherin. They could potentially, begrudgingly, accept a Ravenclaw. But if he was sorted into Hufflepuff or, even worse, Gryffindor the family would begin to treat him the way they have been treating Sirius since his sorting. He did not understand why the house he was sorted in was so important. After all, Sirius was a Gryffindor but he was still Regulus' big brother. Being sorted did not change who he was. But the sorting changed how everyone in the family viewed him, and how they treated him. Regulus was afraid. The house his family lived in was dreadful. It was perfect for their family. They were dark, brooding, cruel, and the house they called home reflected this perfectly. The halls were dark and gloomy, the house elf muttered harsh words against anyone who did not fit the family's views on the perfect wizard. There was often mutterings of Blood Traitors, though Regulus had yet to discover what that meant. Sirius had always shielded him from the yelling and the worst of the bitterness, but after he went to Hogwarts Regulus was left to bear the entirety of it alone. He began to see the family for what it really was; a disastrous, suffocating mess. They constantly referred to themselves as the "Illustrious House of Black" but they appeared more and more like desperate people clinging to the glory of the past rather than embracing the potential of the future. Regulus shook himself from his thoughts as he was ushered into the Great Hall with the other first years. He looked around in awe, gapping at the magnifigance of the room. The four tables filled with students, eagerly awaiting the new arrivals; the candles that seemed to dance as they floated near the ceiling. Finally, they came to a stop before a stool with a rather worn hat sat upon it. Some of the first years looked utterly bewildered by this. Regulus guessed they were muggle born. Suddenly, the hat perked up and started to sing.

"Centuries have come and gone

Since I first took this role,

Students I have guided

As they find their ideal goal.

Four houses here before you,

But only one will hold the true

Key to unlocking your potential,

And guide you in all you do.

To Gryffindor go the bravest of us all,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry leave them standing tall.

To Ravenclaw go those who prize wit beyond the rest,

They search and search for knowledge on their endless quest.

In Hufflepuff hardworkers find a place where kindness abounds,

Their just nature is strong enough to be felt as it resounds.

In Slytherin there are many who are cunning,

Their ambition guides them to a nature that can be stunning.

You will want to know which house will hold your fate,

But worry not for I am here to seek out your strongest trait,

So place me snug about your ears and listen to me well,

I'll look into your wondrous mind and your new home I will tell! "

Regulus clapped mindlessly, stunned by what he had just witnessed. A hat that could think for itself and guide someone to their future was even more impressive in person than in the stories he had heard. The kind, but strict looking professor began reading down the list of names. For once Regulus wished he had a different last name. As much as he was excited to find out where he would be sorted, he dreaded the actual moment. He could end up facing a terrible fate if he ended up anywhere except Slytherin, but at the same time he was not sure if Slytherin would really be the best place for him. He subtly glanced around the room, noticing his older brother sitting at the Gryffindor Table. The table erupted as the newest member, Avery, Jenna, joined them. "Black, Regulus." The professor called. Regulus gulped and stepped up toward the stool. As the hat was placed upon his head he noticed his brother's gaze. "Ahhh what have we here?" A voice said inside his mind. Regulus tried not to jump at the sudden visitor. "No need to worry, just taking a quick peak. Ahhh a brave one are we? But ambitious as well. Potentially cunning, definitely witty…. Hmmmm Difficult. You could do well in Gryffindor, though Slytherin might be a better fit… where oh where should I put you?" The voice muttered. Regulus froze. His mind was torn, as it shouted conflicting arguments. "Gryffindor! Please Gryffindor! I want to be with Sirius!" One part of his mind screamed. "No, Slytherin! I must go to Slytherin! My family will destroy me if I don't!" The other part of his mind screamed. A third, quieter part of his mind asked for peace and quiet. A moment passed before the hat said "Very well… You could do well in either house, though for you I shall have to choose…. SLYTHERIN!" The hat roared out the name, and the Slytherin house erupted with applause. The other houses began to boo, leaving Regulus feeling terrible. As he took his seat at the Slytherin table, he looked toward the Gryffindor table to try to see what his brother thought of all this. To his surprise, Sirius was smiling. His eyes showed disappointment, obviously wanting to be in the same house together as much as Regulus did. But he was not booing. He seemed pleased that the hat had not instantly sorted Regulus. Regulus gave a small smile in return before turning his attention to his new housemates.

Regulus followed his housemates towards the Slytherin Common Room. The Prefect said the password, which Regulus quickly memorized, and they all entered the room. The greens were cool, almost cold. Somehow this room still felt nearly homey to Regulus. Perhaps it was because his own home was always so dark, but this hidden room felt more like home than he had expected. Part of him still longed to be in Gryffindor with Sirius, but he was not disappointed by the splendour of the Slytherin Common Room. Moving towards the boy's dorm, he found a room with the perfect view of the lake. The water shimmered around the room, making it feel like an underwater paradise. Regulus fell in love with the sight of it all! Choosing the bed that gave him the best view of the lake, he started unpacking his things. After putting away a photo of him and Sirius, from before Sirius was sorted, he looked around the room to find he had been joined by three others. The boys made their introductions and became fast friends. To Regulus' left was James Anderson, fellow first year and a half blood. To Regulus' right was Jason Grey, pureblood elitist and haughty first year. Finally, directly in front of Regulus, was Alex Scamander, pureblood though not an elitist and a surprisingly kind first year. These three became the best friends Regulus could hope for. Well, Alex was at least. And James was decent enough. But Jason could be incredibly irritating. He was incredibly self-centred. Regulus liked to find the good in people, so he decided he would be better off befriending Jason. After all, underneath that pompous act could be the soul of someone who is just as terrified as Regulus. Regulus was terrified of becoming like his parents, but he did not want to disappoint them. They were still his parents even if they were rather cruel. Maybe they were getting to him, twisting around his mind, but he could not rebel like his brother. Regulus always thought Sirius was the braver brother. He had no problem striking out on his own and following his own path. Regulus worried that he was holding back Sirius. Every time Sirius was nearing an escape, Regulus would find himself in trouble with his parents and Sirius would rush in and save the day, taking the punishment in Regulus' stead. Regulus became determined to stand on his own. He would not allow himself to trouble Sirius anymore. He decided that from this point on he would follow his parents' will and allow Sirius to make his escape. For once he would be the one making the sacrifice so his beloved brother could be free. He knew there would be no turning back from this choice. He even knew that his brother may grow to hate him, and he would have to pretend the feeling was mutual. But for Sirius to have a chance to leave without fear for Regulus, he would have to believe he was alone. Regulus looked over the picture of his smiling brother as he made this choice. His roommates slept, Jason snoring incredibly loudly. Regulus sighed sadly as he made his resolve. 'Farewell, my dear brother. May you find happiness in your freedom. I only wish I could be there to see you when you are finally free.' He thought to himself as he put the picture away. He hid it in an old journal he kept with him. The initials R.A.B. were engraved on the cover. It had been a gift from his favourite uncle. An uncle he would no longer be allowed to associate with. Regulus knew this would be difficult, but he was determined not to regret his choice. He could not regret it if he wished to see his brother happy once more. Putting the journal away Regulus laid back on his bed to try to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Regulus awoke and groggily looked at his surroundings. For a brief moment he wondered why he was not in his room, as he should be. Then the memories of the day before flooded his mind. He remembered the sorting and how terrifying the process was; suddenly having a voice inside your head that is not your own, telling you all of your strongest traits, determining where you will stay for the next seven years. He had been so conflicted, but in the end he felt it was best that he ended up in Slytherin. It meant he could stick to his decision to protect his brother for once. He sighed as he straightened his tie. He could not turn back now. He had to be strong if he wanted to prove himself useful. Not that his family or his brother would know what he had done, but it was about proving to himself that he could be useful. He was always the one who was protected, but now he would prove he could be the protector. He gathered up his belongings and headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast. On the way he ran into Alex who eagerly dragged him toward the Slytherin table. Alex was clearly a morning person. He was all smiles, chattering away about what he hoped the classes would be like. Regulus, on the other hand, was not a morning person. In fact, he despised mornings. But he liked Alex well enough, so he allowed Alex to drag him along and continue to chatter. With all this chatter about classes he began to wonder for himself what they would be like. His parents had had their own tales to tell of pranks pulled by foolish classmates and teachers who were dreadful. Regulus wondered just how much of those tales were true. From what the older students had said, Professor Binns was such a bore even the Ravenclaws could not stay awake in class. Many praised the Potions Master, who was also Slytherin Head of House. Regulus had not met him yet, but they would have Potions with Professor Slughorn this afternoon. He would finally get to see what all the hubbub was about. But for now he needed to focus on eating and waking up properly. As he sat there, the hall began filling up. The other Slytherins emerged from the dungeons, rather less cheerfully than Alex had, and took their places at the table. Most looked as cruel as their reputations, scowling into their morning meal as they glared around the table. Regulus was starting to wake up a bit more, feeling like himself again, and started properly observing people. The older Slytherins were particularly surly. Perhaps it was because their house was so despised, or maybe they were surly well before they got sorted. But whatever the reason, Slytherin house seemed full of unfriendly people. At least at first glance. Regulus started to notice a trend among the majority of Slytherin house, though it had only been one day since he became a part of it. While they tended to be cruel towards outsiders, they were surprisingly kind. Well, some of them were at least. The Prefects, for example, had stayed awake past curfew to help a first year girl who was so terrified of the dark she couldn't sleep. Regulus had been half asleep, trying to lose himself in the land of dreams when he had heard crying. Groggily he silently headed towards the sound, down the stairs to the Common Room. There he had seen this slip of a girl crying, sitting on one of the sofas while the Prefects consoled her.

Honestly, Regulus had expected all Slytherins to be terrible and cruel like his parents were. But that site alone was enough to make him realize just how wrong he was. He started to think that maybe the traits of the house were not what made up each individual within it. Just like he and Sirius were not carbon copies of their parents. But the way the Slytherins acted towards the other houses, and even each other, was enough to keep the stereotype in place. It was all too easy to judge the whole of a house based on the actions of a few of its members. Many Slytherins seemed to take on the persona of the cruel, standoffish persona that kept just about everyone at bay. It was like they wanted to shield themselves from others. Of course, some of the Slytherins actually fit the stereotype, but they were incredibly few compared to the number of students sorted into Slytherin over the course of the past seven years. Most of the Slytherins were decent people who put on a mask to fit in with others like themselves, in a house where their classmates saw nothing but the enemy. Regulus frowned at the thought, realizing he would now have to be friends with only Slytherins because non Slytherins seemed to avoid all of Slytherin house like the plague. But this was for the best. He had to make Sirius think he was the enemy, and he could not do that if he went around making friends with people outside of his house. Alex seemed to be the exception to the rule of masks. Unlike the other Slytherins, he was incredibly cheerful. He was so bubbly it was amazing he could remain standing on the ground! The way he wobbled back and forth on the balls of his feet had Regulus expecting him to float off toward the ceiling at any moment. He wandered from table to table, talking to people. Most of the older students ignored him, due to his house and his irritatingly bubbly personality. But some of the younger students happily chatted with him for a while, before he moved on to speak to others. By the end of breakfast he had made so many friends Regulus could not remember any of their names. But that was just the way Alex was. He was a people person and his personality was enough to make even the most biased person ignore the house he had been sorted into. The older students had brushed him off, but even they didn't seem too bothered by him. They snuck glances while he was visiting the younger students, but their glances were not hostile. This surprised Regulus even more than the discovery that Slytherins were different than they first appeared. The Slytherins had taken on a solid stance of us versus them; them meaning all the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and especially the Gryffindors. But even the older Gryffindors seemed to tolerate Alex as he mingled with the other first years. Regulus made a mental note to silently observe members of each house over the years. He wanted to know whether the other houses hid behind masks just as readily as the Slytherins did.

The first class of the day, unfortunately, was History of Magic. Regulus sat in his desk, with Alex as his table mate, and cautiously awaited the arrival of the professor. He had not heard much about Professor Binns, beyond his incredibly boring lectures. Alex continued to jabber on about nothing in particular, partially speaking to Regulus and partially chatting with the students closest to their desks. Then, quietly, a ghost drifted into the room. When he began to speak in a dull, monotone voice, Regulus realized with a hint of dread that this was Professor Binns. The class fell silent as everyone attempted to comprehend what had just happened. A ghost was teaching their class, and he was incredibly boring! After just a few short minutes, students began to fall asleep. First was a pair of Slytherin girls, near the front of the class. Next was a Slytherin, who was shortly followed by his desk mate. Before long, only Regulus remained awake aside from a few Ravenclaws who drifted in and out of consciousness as Professor Binns spoke. They managed to awaken long enough to jot down a name or a date of something or someone important before the monotone voice sent them back into the world of slumber. Next to him, Alex was snoring softly as he used his textbook for a pillow. Regulus found himself drifting off as the professor started speaking about the Goblin Rebellions, imagining what the world must have been like at the time. His imagination took him to a world where goblins and wizards fought in an epic battle! Spells flew past him as he walked the battlefield. Man and goblin alike fell, dodged, and fought. The entire area was in chaos! Just as it looked like the battle was nearing an end, Regulus woke with a start to find the class had finally been dismissed. The whole classroom jolted awake at once and, groggily, stood up to move on to their next class. Luckily Potions was up next, and should at least be interesting enough to keep the class awake. Once more, Regulus teamed up with Alex and claimed a desk together. Professor Slughorn walked in, greeted everyone, and began the lesson on a fairly simple potion; The Antidote to Common Poisons. For this one the class would pair off and work together, since it was their first Potions lesson. Alex and Regulus teamed up and set to work. Alex grabbed a Bezoar and the Standard Ingredient, while Regulus grabbed the Unicorn Horns and the Mistletoe Berries. Regulus then crushed the Bezoar with the mortar and pestle while Alex began measuring out the Standard Ingredient. Regulus added four measures of the crushed Bezoar, then Alex added the two measures of the Standard Ingredient he had prepared. After placing it on the heat, waving his wand, and leaving it to brew for forty minutes, Regulus turned his attention to the Unicorn Horns. Grabbing a pinch, he added it to the cauldron while Alex grabbed the stirrer. Alex stirred the mixture twice, clockwise, as Regulus grabbed the Mistletoe Berries. Dropping in two berries, he watched as Alex stirred the mixture twice, counter clockwise. Regulus waved his wand to complete the potion, and Alex poured the mixture into a phial. As Alex took the phial up to Professor Slughorn, Regulus took a moment to think about the subject. Potions class was incredibly straight forward and simple to understand. Regulus liked this. Since they had completed the potion correctly in the first try, Regulus and Alex spent the rest of the class period just chatting and enjoying each other's company.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Regulus awoke the following morning to Alex's excited chatter. "… And then Liam, that's the first year Hufflepuff I told you about, he told me there are many interesting creatures in the Forbidden Forest! There are unicorns, thestrals, deer, bowtruckles, faries… there's even a herd of centaurs! Centaurs! I wonder if we'll ever get to meet them! Centaurs are amazing! I've read that they are brilliant with Divination and Astronomy…. Imagine having one of them teaching! You could learn so much! I wonder what centaurs are like… I mean, I know they live in herds, are skilled archers, and they aren't fans of humans… but what are they really like? What do they do? Are they more similar to humans than they want to admit? Or are they so different that we wouldn't understand them even if they did tell us what their lives were like?" Alex continued to ramble on about centaurs. Clearly he had inherited his father's love of magical creatures. His father, Newt Scamander, was famous for his love of magical creatures. He went so far as to write the book that all the students of Care of Magical Creatures were required to have. Regulus had seen some of the older Slytherins carefully studying from their own copies of the book, desperately trying to learn everything they possibly could in order to achieve the top grades of their class. One thing that united all of Slytherin house was there ambition. Regardless of the class they were taking or what they thought of the professors who taught each subject, each Slytherin student strove to be the best in the class. While the Ravenclaws horded the books and tables in the library, the Slytherins could be found in their Common Room, studying in groups of three or so, turning their study session into a series of challenges. They even had a ranking system on the wall, showing the names of the students who earned the most points in each study challenge. The first years had been confused at first, but they caught on fairly quickly. At the end of the day, the first day of classes at Hogwarts for the first years, the older Slytherins had set up the first day of the challenges. They set up stations for each subject, including flash cards with questions for each subject and each year. They even had study materials for the electives that the third years and above could take. Each set of materials was ordered by subject, in alphabetical order, and then carefully arranged by year. Since the first years had no idea what was going on, the students in charge of the first day's challenge started with the second years. They would start with review of the past year's work, just to get everyone back into the mindset of the subject. Then, they would call out a question related to what had been studied that day. The second years clamoured, trying to be heard as they all attempted to be the first to get the correct answer. Some of the seventh years would make note of who answered when, what they answered, and whether or not they had been correct. Then, based on the timing and accuracy of their answer, they would receive a certain amount of points. After this, they asked if the first years understood what the challenge was about and if they were ready to give it a chance. Being incredibly ambitious first years, they naturally answered a unanimous yes, even though some of the first years seemed confused. Some were particularly hesitant as they stepped toward the front of the group to begin their turn at the challenge.

At first, the questions seemed simple and the first years were hesitant to answer. Clearly they had been over thinking after observing the second years. But after a few questions they became equally as competitive; jumping in to answer every question whether they knew the correct answer or not. Alex and Regulus found themselves constantly answering in unison. Though, every time the topic turned to magical creatures of any kind, Alex was the first to answer and the only first year to answer correctly. His eyes shined with passion every time a creature was mentioned and he happily supplied every fact that was asked of him. Before long, the first years' turn at the challenge ended and the seventh years carefully tallied the results while the students in charge of the challenge for the day moved on to the third years. Regulus looked around, noticing he was not the only first year anxiously awaiting the results. Each of them wanted to make it to the top of the final list. They would be able to brag about their knowledge and skills for the rest of the day. Then it would start all over again. The tallies for the day would be added to the official board, allowing people to either maintain their place on the board or move depending on how well or how terribly they had done. Regulus knew he had answered each question correctly, aside from those about magical creatures of course, since no one else among the first years except Alex had been able to even answer the questions, but he was unsure if he had managed to answer in the shortest amount of time. Each time there was a question, the first years had been quick to shout out whatever they thought the answer was. Because of this it was difficult to tell who answered the question correctly in the least amount of time. It was frustrating, but it seemed to drive the competition even further. Finally, the board designated for the first years began to glow. The seventh year in charge of the board waved his wand, adding names to the list starting with the last possible place and working his way up to the top. Regulus watched, happily noticing that his name had yet to make an appearance. The board was filling up quickly, as the first years either found themselves devastated, surprised and excited, or driven to do better the next time. Finally it reached the top of the list. In second place appeared the name Alex Scamander; in first place, Regulus Black. Regulus was stunned. He had not expected to end up in first place! Alex happily congratulated his best friend, overjoyed at having made it to second place thanks to his knowledge of magical creatures. Regulus looked at the score next to his name, noticing just how close it was to Alex's score. Clearly he had managed to answer first more often than he had thought, and that had been enough to leave him in first place. With this result, Regulus was more determined than ever to do well. He decided to study everything, stay awake in History of Magic, and work together with Alex to be the greatest team ever. He knew he wanted to be in first place all year, but he found himself thinking that he would not be too disappointed if he ended up in second place so long as first place went to Alex. He was surprised by this. Everyone else seemed to be out for themselves, aiming to end up at the top of the list and refusing to accept any other result. But after only one day with Alex, he had found himself wishing for his friend to share the glory that he had just earned.

Regulus shook himself from his memories of the day before to find Alex once more dragging him along the corridor to the Great Hall. Alex was still chattering away, talking about centaurs and centaur-like creatures that could be found throughout the world as he dragged Regulus to their place at the Slytherin Table. Regulus found it difficult to believe Alex had been sorted into Slytherin. He seemed more like a Hufflepuff, with his easy going, friendly nature. He was the type that would befriend anyone and everyone, regardless of their house or blood status. He was the only one in the whole of Slytherin house with this personality. He was certainly ambitious, aiming to be a great magizoologist like his father, but there was something different about him. He was bubbly, cheerful, and always ready to help others. While the rest of Slytherin house hid behind their masks, Alex was happy to show his true self to everyone. He was incredibly hard working, clever, and brave enough to face the odd glances he would receive from older students as he went from table to table to try to make more friends. Alex Scamander was an anomaly. But Regulus was glad to have found a friend as amazing as him. It was only their second day together, but the duo had seemed to form a routine already. Alex would wake up Regulus, drag him to breakfast, wander off to make friends while Regulus ate, and then the duo would head off to class. They would sit together in every lesson, chatting quietly about the material, working together whenever they were allowed to. The duo had quickly become inseparable. Now he understood why Sirius had been so quick to share about his friends, acting as if they were the closest friends anyone could be despite only knowing each other from the train ride over before being sorted into Gryffindor. But Regulus had had the same experience. He had made a friend, who was in the same house as him, and now he couldn't imagine spending a day without Alex. And it was only their second day of classes! At lunch the duo sat side by side once more, chatting idly about their classes. Professor McGonagall had proved to be a great teacher, showing off some amazing transfiguration skill as she effortlessly turned a mouse into a snuffbox. The students tried to mimic her, though most seemed to fail at first. Their spell did nothing, luckily, so they could continue to try again without Professor McGonagall's help. One Ravenclaw got so distracted by the mouse's sudden rush to escape the desk that he turned the mouse into a half mouse, half box hybrid. It squeaked in fear, tail twitching as it attempted to move its box body. Professor McGonagall sighed, as if she had expected this to happen all along, and swiftly transfigured the mouse back to normal. The other students nervously tried to transfigure their mice, but this proved surprisingly difficult. Regulus managed to be the first in the class to successfully transfigure the mouse. He looked around to see how the others were faring. Most of the class was still trying to cast, unsuccessfully. Alex seemed hesitant at transfiguring a living creature, but with a bit of encouragement from Regulus, he managed to transfigure the mouse into a snuffbox on his first try. Regulus made a mental note to have Alex help him practice his Transfiguration skills before the exam. At the end of the day, the duo happily ate dinner and chatted some more. Well, Alex did most of the talking, but Regulus still enjoyed his company. That night, they settled down in their beds and spoke about what they hoped would happen the next day. Regulus hoped Potions would prove to be just as much fun as the first lesson, while Alex hoped there would be a chance to study at least some aspect of magical creatures before they were able to take Care of Magical Creatures. As they spoke quietly, the duo slowly drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Regulus found himself being dragged towards the Slytherin table as he tried to straighten his tie. Alex was rambling on about the Thunderbird, and how interesting they were. Regulus only half listened as he found himself once more lost in his own thoughts. It had been a few weeks since he and Alex had been sorted, and already it felt like they had been friends for years. Though each had made other friends, they spent just about every moment together. Regulus, the quiet, stereotypical mask wearing Slytherin, and Alex , the bubbly, creature loving, friend making Slytherin. They were a strange duo, but somehow they had formed the strongest friendship either of them had ever known. They were inseparable, always travelling the corridors and the grounds together. They sat together for every class, always paired up whenever they could, cheered each other on as they took part in each day's challenge, and helped each other out whenever they were having trouble. Soon enough, Regulus found himself settling into this new routine, somewhat happy as he gets dragged around each morning. He always acted like he hated that part of the routine, grumbling at Alex to let him go, but really he was glad someone actually wanted to be around him at his most irritable moments. Regulus was one of those people who despised mornings with a passion. Sirius was not a fan of mornings either, now that Regulus thought about it. Perhaps it was a trait in their family. Then again their family seemed to despise just about everything. But Regulus was by far the worst of them when it came to mornings. He was normally quiet, but in the mornings he was deathly silent unless someone was foolish enough to irritate him. He was mostly verbally assaultive, but he did once attack a family member who dared to wake him up in the early hours of the morning. That ended horribly, but the family member lived and his mother had covered up the incident. She had paid off the family member, with a hint of blackmail for good measure, and sent them on their way. One thing his mother was brilliant at was manipulation. She could turn a situation around on anyone, and send them off owing her a favour even if they had come to blackmail her for a favour of their own. That was one thing he admired about his mother. Sure, there was a lot that he hated about her, namely how she had treated Sirius since his sorting, but her skills at handling any situation were incredible. Regulus hoped that he would have the same sort of skills someday, if only so he could protect himself from the likes of her in the future. One thing he had realized over the years, especially now that he was surrounded by people from various lifestyles, is that his household was one that was detrimental. It could even be considered downright abusive, though Regulus had been spared from the worst of it. By following exactly what his parents wanted, he managed to avoid much trouble. Though they had targeted him before, when he was younger and his magic was much less controlled. He would inevitably create some sort of mess, which would infuriate his mother. At first she would catch him, and he would suffer her wrath. But then Sirius stepped in and started covering for him. Sirius would find ways to make it seem like he had caused the trouble, then send Regulus away to hide. Regulus was once more questioning his choice. It would kill him to see his brother begin to hate him, but this was likely for the best. After all, it would allow Sirius to finally be free.

Regulus hoped this would all work out. It was the more difficult path, but it felt like the right one. He hoped that when it was all over that he and Sirius could become as close as they used to be. He shook himself from his thoughts in time to hear the end of Alex's rant about the Thunderbird. "My dad told me all about the Thunderbird, how he named it, and befriended it. He was returning him to his natural habitat while he was journeying around to study the creatures he wrote about in his book. The Thunderbird is amazing! I got to meet him once! My dad took me with him on a trip to Arizona when he went to check up on his Thunderbird friend. I have never seen anything like it!" Alex stared off into the distance, grinning as he remembered his adventure. Regulus could tell that Alex would make a wonderful Magizoologist. He cared deeply for all magical creatures, and clearly enjoyed any chance he got to study them. Regulus found himself smiling as he watched Alex's reaction to his memories. Returning to his normal mask of irritability, he found that Alex had already dropped him into his seat at the Slytherin table. After gathering up a plate full of Alex's favourite foods, which he had quickly learned by the end of the first week, he nudged Alex and gestured toward the plate. "If you wish to continue jabbering on about magical creatures, you should eat something first. You don't want to faint or something from lack of food." He said, gathering up a plate for himself. Alex, jarred from his memories, paused then gave a bright grin and said "Thanks Reg! You're the best!" A grin still plastered on his face, he dug into his breakfast, eating everything very quickly. Regulus shook his head at his friend, smiling slightly, before eating his own meal. After breakfast, the duo headed down towards their first class of the day. Today, that meant History of Magic. Regulus inwardly groaned at the thought of it. The class was incredibly dull. He and Alex had finally perfected their note taking for that class. They first learned the art of subconsciously noticing the tone in Professor Binns' voice whenever he mentioned something important. It was incredibly subtle and easy to miss, but it made taking notes during class easier. Then, they took to nudging each other every so often, just to keep their senses alert enough to properly take notes. Finally, they managed to charm a quill to write down everything Professor Binns said. Then all they had to do was compare their own notes to that of the quill, and they could easily fill in the missing pieces. It amazed Regulus that no one else had thought of this. It was fairly simple, despite the difficulty of the charm, so he had expected at least the older students to have figured this out. But, as he looked around the classroom, he noticed no one else had an enchanted quill writing down everything that was said. For once, Regulus felt like a genius. Sure, Alex had managed to find and properly cast the charm, but Regulus had been the one to come up with the idea in the first place. Regulus glanced over at Alex as he dozed on the desk next to him. For all that Alex played the fool, he was actually incredibly brilliant. He could cast some of the more difficult spells they learned, and came across in the case of the enchanted quill, with ease while other students their age struggled. Even Regulus struggled with a few of the more difficult spells.

He thought that maybe Alex wore a mask of his own; one that hid just how brilliant he was. Maybe he wanted to keep others at ease around him, by making them feel superior in some way. Or maybe he was just one of those strange geniuses who never really knew how brilliant they were. Whatever it was, Regulus was glad Alex was on his side. He had a feeling that anyone who crossed Alex, managed to properly cross him, would find themselves dealing with a fate worse than death. Not that Alex was cruel, but even the kindest people had their limits. And he knew that if anyone messed with Alex, they would have to answer to him. While Regulus could be stand offish, much like the other Slytherins, he cared deeply for those he counted among his loved ones. Currently that meant Sirius and Alex, and the family's house elf, Kreacher. Kreacher had been kind to Regulus, though he seemed to hate Sirius. Or, really, the feeling was mutual. Regulus had no idea what had happened between the two of them, as neither was willing to explain what had caused such a rift, but it was clear that neither Sirius nor Kreacher were willing to put the past aside and start anew. Regulus had dreams of one day reuiniting with Sirius, and helping him and Kreacher get past their differences. The three of them would live somewhere far from that dreadful house that the Black family called home and start over again. They would take their chance and really make their family great, instead of falling deeper into the darkness as they clung desperately to the past as their family was currently doing. Regulus was determined to make this dream a reality. But first, he would have to do whatever it took to make Sirius believe that he was the family's puppet. He would have to make his brother hate him, and then he could start moving forward towards his wonderful dream. He vowed to see this dream come true, no matter what he would have to face along the way. He shook himself from his thoughts once more as the class began to stir. The class was over, thankfully, so he nudged Alex awake, grabbed their enchanted quill and notes, and started walking towards their next class. Once again, they headed to Potions class. This was Regulus' favourite class. Unlike some of the other classes, which involved theory or particularly complex ideas, Potions class was straight forward. All he had to do was follow the instructions, to a tee, and everything would work out in the end. It was also interesting to consider how different ingredients worked, what properties they held, and how they could improve a potion if added properly. He enjoyed seeing the results of his efforts so clearly. Unlike spells, which could utterly fail without showing any signs of what went wrong, a potion can clearly show flaws. Even the smallest mistake becomes clear as the potion brews. At the end of the day, they once more took to the challenge. The Common Room was crowded with Slytherins clamouring for the spotlight, aiming to show just how much knowledge they had. Once more it was a close battle. Their voices echoed practically in unison as everyone tried to be the first to give the correct answer. As the results were revealed, Regulus wondered just who would win. He and Alex were still neck in neck when it came to points. And this evening's challenge was more difficult than the one from the evening before. Regulus anxiously awaited the results for him and Alex as the names on the scoreboard shifted around. Finally the results were in. Regulus was in second place, only a few points behind Alex who had reclaimed the first place spot after half a week. Regulus congratulated his friend and the duo headed off to catch some sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Several years had passed in this fashion. Regulus and Alex remained inseparable and easily held the top two spots for their year in the Slytherin's nightly challenge. The duo excelled in all their classes and managed to join the incredibly exclusive Slugclub, lead by their Head of House Professor Horace Slughorn. Regulus had become the prized Seeker of the Slytherin Quidditch Team. Now that James Potter was no longer at Hogwarts, it was easy for other seekers to utterly destroy the Gryffindor Team with their own Quidditch skills. Regulus had proven himself particularly skilled, as he dominated the pitch over the past season. Because of him, Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup for the first time in five years. He was the pride of Slytherin, and his family could not be more overjoyed. He had managed to convince Sirius that he was just a pawn of their parents, that he truly hated him as well, though it killed him inside to see Sirius' reactions. He had to watch as the hope drained from Sirius' eyes, and the bitterness took over. Finally, Sirius gave up speaking to him all together and the brothers took to ignoring each other. Just one year ago, his brother Sirius finally broke free of the family. He left home, moved in with his best friend, and received a substantial inheritance from their Uncle Alphard. When their mother had found out, she flew into a rage. She waved her wand about, erratic, as she tried to properly unleash her anger. Turning towards the tapestry bearing the family tree, she swiftly blasted their images off of the tapestry in a flash of fire. All that remained when she was finished was a name below a deep, dark scorch mark. Regulus had been heartbroken to see the last image of his brother, which was out in the open in that dreaded house, destroyed before his eyes. Luckily, he had kept his own copy of the last photograph the two took together hidden away in a secret drawer in his room. As he spent a year in the dreaded house alone, Sirius finally free and his mission complete, he found his mind warped. His thoughts started to become startlingly like those of his parents, the sort of thoughts he vowed never to have when he was younger. He recognised the changes after a while, but could do nothing to stop them. He started thinking that blood status was more important than anything, and those who disagreed should pay the price for their disloyalty. He started to think that this man, this Dark Lord called Voldemort, was on to something when he decided that wizards should rise up and rule the muggles. And it frightened him. He could feel the pull of the darkness within him, but he was desperate to break free. He never wanted this fate, but as his mind became more and more twisted he began to think that maybe this was the right path for him. Finally, the time had come for him to join the Death Eaters and serve Lord Voldemort. When he told his parents, they were incredibly proud. His mind was torn. Part of him, the twisted part, was overjoyed at having been accepted into such an illustrious group. The other part of him, the part that held on to the person he had been and the dream he held deep within his heart, was mortified. Here he was, going against everything he had ever held valuable. He was doing exactly what his parents wished, becoming the puppet he had sworn he would never become. What was that old muggle saying about good intentions? That they always end up going astray?

Or perhaps that was just his own imagining, but that seemed to be the way good intentions worked; they always got someone hurt. Sirius intervened whenever Regulus was in trouble, and all it did was get Sirius hurt. Regulus hurt Sirius to save him, and in the end he ended up becoming someone he despised. He thought about the possibility of escaping this fate as he awaited the inevitable marking. This evening he would gain the Dark Mark, forever marking him as one of many serving a man who was powerful and incredibly dark. He tried to cast his fears aside as the moment grew closer. This would have to be a secret. Alex would be devastated if he ever found out. Alex was against all of this blood purity and blood supremacy nonsense. Each second that passed felt like an eternity. Regulus was terrified of what was to come. War was coming, and Regulus hoped it would end with those he cared about still alive and well. He hoped that he could find a way to escape the darkness before it was too late. If not, then he would be glad to trade his own life for Sirius, Alex, and Kreacher. Resigned to his fate, he rose from his chair at his desk, silently walked down the stairs, and left the house. He travelled on to the secret location, a cave hidden in the mountains, and prepared his mind for what was to come. He stepped into the cave, letting the dark and twisted part of his mind take over as a safety precaution. He knew that the Dark Lord, as his followers called him, was very adept at reading the minds of anyone around him. He could easily route out fear and desperation, easily discovering all lies no matter how skilled the person was at deception. He steadied his nerves and walked into the light of the cavernous room. Inside were many figures, cloaked in black, lining the walls as a mass of shadow in a room of light. In the centre of the room was the Dark Lord himself, proudly standing as the leader of a massive army. He was just one man, but he was incredibly imposing. He knew how to intimidate, and he was proud to be feared. Regulus figured that Voldemort preferred being feared to being loved. Perhaps that would be his downfall. But Regulus ignored such thoughts, as he could not risk angering someone who would gladly kill him in a heartbeat. Instead, he took on a regal gait as he walked past the first layer of Death Eaters. Voldemort smiled a wicked smile and said "Ah, Dear Regulus Black. Here to take the final step into proving his loyalty to our cause. Come closer, and take your place among our ranks." Regulus stepped closer at the invitation, stopping when Voldemort gave the signal. "Now, there can be no turning back. Once you agree to this, you must remain loyal to me, and the cause. If you have any doubts, now is the time to leave." This was a trap. Those who made it this far and dared to show hesitation were destroyed for their lack of loyalty. Regulus bowed his head and said "I have no doubts, my lord. I proudly accept all responsibilities that come with serving this wonderful cause. I humbly ask that you allow me the honour of serving you forever more." The part of Regulus that was not absorbed by darkness cringed at the thought of serving the darkness, but there really was no other option at this point. He had to keep his parents happy, obey his new master, and hopefully keep Sirius and Alex safe.

Voldemort smirked at Regulus' answer, pleased that he would have yet another loyal follower from the illustrious House of Black. Bellatrix, Regulus' cousin, had joined the ranks of the Death Eaters a few months before. She was one of the most loyal Death Eaters to ever join the ranks. Voldemort assumed the other members of the family would be just as willing to obey. He gestured for Regulus to step forward and took his left arm. Rolling up the sleeve of Regulus' cloak, he touched his wand to Regulus' forearm. At first, there was nothing. Then there was a dark green glow, and Regulus' arm began to burn. He gritted his teeth, desperately trying not to collapse to the ground from the pain. His vision went white, all sights and sounds faded as he dug his heels into the ground. He awoke from the haze to applause and the slight burning sensation that remained. He looked down at his left forearm to find the dark mark, its skull and snake proudly interconnected, laying there on his skin. Though there were no actual scars or burn marks, there was still pain left from the process. He resisted the urge to rub the mark in an attempt to ease the pain. He offered up a proud smirk as the other Death Eaters congratulated him in joining their ranks. Voldemort warned him to be ready to head the call whenever he was needed before disappearing. Regulus took the long route home, preferring to walk quite a while before apparating. Along the walk, he thought about all that had happened in his life. His childhood was far from ideal, but at least he had had a brother who loved him. As he grew, the two of them grew apart. Their parents began to favour Regulus, who acted like the perfect son they had always wanted. Sirius, on the other hand, chose to be himself rather than continuing to follow his parents' wishes. Then Regulus found himself at Hogwarts, with an incredible best friend. He found someone who, somehow, managed to see past his mask and properly get to know him. Then he made the vow to save Sirius. He had to suffer through every second of the pain that came with the act, but it was all worth it to see Sirius free from that dreadful house. The family called it a home, but it was only home to the previous generations who sought to be there. Both Sirius and Regulus sought freedom from that house, to find a place of their own. Regulus hoped that the home he would find in the future would be one that could reunite him and Sirius, and help them start anew without all the drama of their family and their past tying them down. Then he found his mind twisted, damaged by the life he had chosen. A sacrifice he was willing to make if it meant achieving his dream. And finally, this whole Death Eater mess. He had heard about this mission from his cousin Bellatrix. He thought it was ridiculous, but brought it up to his parents to see what they thought. They were thrilled to hear he was interested. He felt mortified. But he had to follow through; he couldn't disappoint his parents now. He had a plan to reunite with Sirius. He even had a location picked out. But he could not even being to enact the plan until this war was over. He made a vow to find a way to achieve his dream, regardless of what he had to do to make it happen. He would help to end this war, for Alex and Sirius. But for now, he would serve the lord he had sworn allegiance to, and do his best to protect those he cared for.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

For the past few years, Regulus served Voldemort well. He followed with pride as his twisted mind embraced the darkness. His mind still echoed with the feelings of the past, but the darkness appeared to be taking over. He had completed every mission he was assigned with a professional ease. He found himself surprisingly adept at the tasks he was given, which was both a blessing and a curse. He served him well, earning him a place of trust within the ranks of the Death Eaters who could so easily kill him on command. But it was a constant reminder of all that he was doing and how far off it was from the person he wanted to be; the person he was at his core. One day he was summoned by the Dark Lord just after a mission completed. He was worried. What could be the reason for summoning him so soon after a mission? Had he made a mistake? He apparated to the current secret hide out, yet another cave hidden somewhere Regulus did not recognise, and confidently strode inside. Finally reaching the inner most room of the cavern, he found Voldemort standing there, waiting. "Ah Regulus, how good to see you have answered my call so promptly." His voice was enough to send shivers down Regulus' spine. Regulus bowed and said "Of course my lord. It is only natural for a servant to appear when summoned." Voldemort laughed at his response. Clearly he was pleased that all was going according to his plan. "There is a matter of utmost importance I must deal with, and I shall require a house elf." He stopped and grinned as Regulus' voice rang out. "My house elf would be perfect for any job you require! He would only be happy to serve this cause!" Again, his inner self twinged with pain, as he imagined all the wrong that will happen. This was likely to end terribly, but Voldemort grinned and said "Good. Bring me this elf." Regulus bowed once more and said "At once, my lord." Leaving the cave, he began to worry. He truly cared for Kreacher and wanted no harm to come to him, but it was too late to turn back now. He went down to the kitchen to find Kreacher. Keeping up the roose, he said "Kreacher! I have a job for you. You must go to the Dark Lord. He requires an elf, and I volunteered you. It's a great honour for me and for you to serve. Kreacher, I order you to do whatever the Dark Lord orders you to do, and then return home." Kreacher, the old elf that he was, was startled at first. Then he swiftly bowed and said "Yes, Master Regulus." He then disapparated. Regulus sighed, and went to his room in search of a distraction as he waited. He tried to read, failing to read beyond the first sentence as his mind went blank with worry. He paced the room, eyeing the wall that led to Sirius' room, and hoped that all was well. He started to imagine the worst possible scenarios. While he had played the willing servant, he was worried about just what lengths his new master would go to just to achieve his goal. That was one thing Regulus had learned early on as a Slytherin student, ambition was a double edged sword. It was helpful in driving a person to achieving their goal, but it could also blind them. It had blinded Regulus for a time, but now he was finally beginning to wake up. Just as he thought he would implode from the force of his worry, there was a crack as Kreacher reappeared.

He rushed towards the aged, and clearly weakend, house elf. "Kreacher? Kreacher! Tell me everything that has happened!" Kreacher took a shaky breath and said "The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a cave. There was a cavern, and a dark lake. Then there was a boat, a boat that rose from the lake. On the island there was a b-basin full of potion. The Dark Lord mad Kreacher drink it…. All of it… As Kreacher drank he saw terrible things, Kreacher felt sick, Kreacher cried for Mistress Black and Master Regulus. The Dark Lord laughed. When the basin was empty, he dropped a locket into it… Then he filled it with more potion and sailed away. Kreacher was left on the island. Kreacher was so thirsty…. Kreacher dragged himself to the edge of the island to drink the water from the black lake… Hands… dead hands came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under…. Then Kreacher returned home…" Kreacher shook as he spoke. Regulus was very worried, his feelings evident in his eyes. He quickly helped Kreacher into his cupboard and said "Stay hidden. Don't leave the house!" and returned to his room. Taking a piece of parchment and a quill, he quickly drew out the locket that Kreacher had described to him. He knew there would be a lot of work to do if his plan was going to work. A few days later, he had a completed locket that was the duplicate of the original. He placed a note inside it and went down to Kreacher's cupboard once more. He was on edge, but his mind was made up. His dream would never happen, but at least he could try to do some good before the end. Waking Kreacher he said "Kreacher, please, take me to the cave you went to with the Dark Lord." Kreacher was frightened, but obeyed him and took them to the cave. He opened the concealed entrance, which Regulus would have never found on his own, and led the way to the island. Once they reached the basin of poison, Regulus took the locket out of his pocket and handed it to Kreacher. He said "Take it, Kreacher, and when the basin is empty, switch it with the locket inside. Once that is done, go home without me, and never tell mother or any of the family what I have done. And make sure you destroy that locket!" When Kreacher had nodded his understanding, Regulus began to drink. He drank and drank, seeing the terrible visions and feeling his insides burn with a terrible and unnatural fire. He hesitated, trying to remember why he was torturing himself like this. Then he looked at Kreacher, and saw the memories of his time with Sirius and Alex flash through his mind. His resolve hardened, he continued to drink. The poison potion seemed never ending; the torture it brought was great. He saw every vision of his nightmares, battling with the great memories he tried to hold on to. Finally, the poison potion was gone from the basin. He watched as Kreacher switched the lockets, before turning to the lake to quench his thirst. The poison had left him so drained, and so thirsty, that he had no other options. He slowly made his way to the edge, kneeled down, and brought his hands down to gather the water. As he brought his hands back up to drink, these strange, dead hands began to rise out of the water. He tried to move, survival instinct kicking in, but he was too slow. The hands grabbed him and dragged him under before he could do anything more than turn around. He smiled as Kreacher turned toward him, glad that at least someone had made it out of this terrible adventure alive. The hands pulled him under and, as everything grew dark and he lost consciousness, he smiled as he saw the happy faces of Sirius and Alex. With that last image in his mind, he could only hope that he had managed to do some good with his actions, and quietly embraced death.

Kreacher returned to the house as he was ordered, and hid himself away in his cupboard. He silently mourned the loss of his beloved Master Regulus. If he grieved out loud, it could cause trouble for the Mistress. She would find out soon enough about what happened to her favourite son, but for now Kreacher remained silent. He would obey Master Regulus' final order no matter what. The next day, he began working on destroying the locket. He tried striking it, he tried opening it, but nothing was working. He tried to use house elf magic on it, but even that was not enough. He punished himself after each failure before trying again. No matter what he tried, it would not work. His Mistress soon found her son missing, and Kreacher had to lie about his cause of death. Kreacher felt bad about hiding the truth, but it was Master Regulus' wish to keep the truth hidden. He had ordered Kreacher not to tell the family, so Kreacher would make sure no one in the family knew the truth. His Mistress was devastated. Kreacher stopped caring for the house, leaving it mostly in ruin. And with that, the House of Black faded. Sure, there were cousins who were now married. Miss Bella had married the Lestrange boy, and Miss Cissy had married that Malfoy. Their sister had gone off and married a muggle, according to the Mistress who burned Mistress Andromeda off of the tapestry just as she had Master Sirius and Master Alphard. Kreacher wandered the house like a ghost, taking care of small things, like the Mistress' portrait after she passed away. It was not long after Master Regulus' death that the Mistress grew ill and died as well. With her passing, Kreacher was the only one living in number twelve Grimauld Place. As he was performing his daily cleaning regimen, there was a knock on the door. Kreacher grumbled and opened the door to find a young man with shaggy brown hair standing there. Alex looked down and said "Oh, Hello there! I'm a friend of Reg's, is he here?" Alex looked worried, though his tone was friendly. He had not heard from Regulus in far too long, and now he feared something had happened to him. Kreacher froze for a second, trying to figure out what to tell this friend. He had seen the pictures on Master Regulus' wall. This person was special to Master Regulus. And Master Regulus had not forbidden him from telling this man the truth. Kreacher sighed, led Alex inside, and took him to Master Regulus' room where his Mistress' portrait would not be able to hear. "Master Regulus is dead. He defied the Dark Lord, stole something, fought back. Master Regulus died for it, but his body cannot be found. Kreacher tried, but he cannot return Master Regulus' body…" Kreacher trailed off, tears forming in his large eyes as he saw just how heartbroken the young man was. Alex was stunned. He had no idea what Regulus had been up to, but whatever it was had been dangerous enough to take his life. Alex could only hope that Regulus had managed to achieve what he wanted to before the end. He rose from Regulus' bed and said "Thank you for telling me, Kreacher. I'm so sorry that he is gone. May he rest in peace." With that he left the house and headed off on a mission of his own. He went into the forest near his home, and made up a grave marker with some of the stones. He carved in the message "Regulus Black; Beloved friend, loving brother, eternally missed." From that day on, every birthday, holiday, and on the anniversary of Regulus' death, he would return to the grave stones. There he would share a drink with his old friend and tell him all about what was happening in the world and in his life.


End file.
